Truth: Unequivalent Exchange
by ellfie
Summary: OneShot A young child over hears Ed's conversation with his dad on the other side of the Gate,and end's up being pulled into the Zeplin crash with Ed,but what happens when she's exposed to the Gate as well?Is her fate sealed in the depths of Hell? Angst


Welp, this is a fic I've had on my computer for months, and just realized it recently, so I decided, "What the heck? I'll post it!" This is dedicated to my cat, Min, who died today along with my uncle who is dieing.

Warning: Kinda angsty.

Abby: Hedwig doesn't own Fullmetal Alchemist, or much anything for that matter.

Me: -mumbles annoyedly- By the way, the name Zillah, IS an actual name, I found it a while ago on a name site, and it means "shade". And FYI, **I'm NOT pairing Edward with Zillah in anyway, **unless you count sibling like. Ed pitied her for, well I can't say cuz that'd give away the story! But yeah, if I wanted to pair Ed with an OC, the OC wouldn't be 8 years old! (which is the whole reason she's 8! I was actually gonna make her 6, but thought it'd be better for her to be a bit older so she could grasp situations more and talk about more serious issues.)

Abby: Warning! Some possible spoilers if you haven't watched the last few episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist.

* * *

**Truth; Unequivalent Exchange**

(A/N: I suck at titles...)

Dark shadows of bombing aircrafts and zeppelins took over the sky, as the sound of sirens and screams of townspeople filled the air. It was that time again, another air raid, another threat to everyone's lives here in London England. A young girl was sitting on what was left of her porch as the sirens grew louder. In her pail hands, she cradled a rugged rag doll, the only thing left of what her life once was. The girl looked not even ten years, though her eyes lacked the sparkle and hope that should be in a young girl's eyes. She lifted her head to the sky and saw several of the German fighter planes that she had gotten so accustom to seeing. Everyone had rushed out of their houses when they heard the sirens; everyone in town was now headed for the safe meeting place outside of town, everyone who wasn't dead or trapped under rubble that is.

A blond man in a large brown trench coat came running past. A short boy was following after him, struggling to keep up, and seemingly confused; as if he had no idea what was going on. "Where am I? What city is this?" she heard the blond boy say. The familiar man glanced at the young girl, turned away, then stopped suddenly and looked back. The boy recoiled, but not in time enough to stop himself from running into the man. He scowled but continued to look around, studying all the posters put up all around promoting people to join the army. The man walked over to the girl with a caring smile on his face. He knelt down in front of her, strands of his blond hair falling across his face. In his glassed she could see the reflection of some of the lights from the planes.

"Zillah," The man started, pushing a lock of her long, black hair behind her ear, "sweetie what are you still doing here? Can't you hear the sirens?"

The girl, Zillah, nodded.

"Then why haven't you moved?" She didn't answer, her teary green eyes staring at her doll. "Here, come with me." He held his hand out to her, and she slowly took it. He stood back up and led her back to the boy.

"Who's this girl?" The boy asked when they walked back up to him. Edward looked at his father questioningly. Hohenheim nodded and put a hand on the girls shoulder.

"She lives near us, but I think everything that happened has gotten to her. Zillah'll turn nine in a few months. Her father is fighting in the war and so is her brother, and her mother died a few weeks ago."

"Oh," Ed looked gently at her, understanding. Zillah looked up at him questioningly. It was all true; she knew both of them for a while now. Hohenheim often came over to help her mother with around the house things, and comforted both Zillah and her mother after her father and brother left. Edward also came over to play with her sometimes, to take her mind off of things; he even helped her fix her doll her father made for her. So why, she wondered, did he ask such a silly question?

"…Ed...ward..?" Zillah started, very quietly. She hadn't talked much after her mother died. Ed blinked in surprise, as if he was amazed she knew his name. "Are you alright..?"

Edward hesitated, backed up and looked at his father for guidance. "Yes, Zillah, he's fine, just a bit startled is all." Hohenheim reassured her. She nodded when suddenly, too close for comfort, another bomb hit, blowing out windows and doors and turning strong buildings into a pile of rubble. That brought everyone back to their senses, and Hohenheim pulled Zillah into a run, while Edward took a quick nervous and confused look back then quickly followed after him.

"What are those things?" Edward asked. Zillah looked at him oddly, everyone in London by now new what a zeppelin was.

"Zeppelins!" Zillah answered as if it was the simplest thing in the world. Ed looked at her with confusion.

"Zepp—what!?" The ground rumbled, and everyone stumbled a bit, Zillah would have fallen flat on her face if Hohenheim hadn't held her up. Ed however stopped and grabbed his head, his eyes were shut tight. He then suddenly opened them and looked at his hands in horror. "Aw hell. This… this isn't my body…" he muttered and Hohenheim looked at him sadly. Zillah looked back and forth from both of them. Why were they acting so strange? She was about to open her mouth to ask when Hohenheim pulled her along, sending Ed a look that read, "no more questions for a while."

They all ran for the safety of the small man-made plateau where all the townspeople had gathered. They were on the outskirts of the town, looking over it as it was being bombed. Edward, and Hohenheim stood away from everyone, while Zillah watched the bombings as well, but she could still overhear parts of their conversation.

"Machines… capable of flying so freely in the sky…" she heard Ed say in wonder. There it was again, Ed acting like all of this was a strange new world. That, or he was just being stupid or something.

"It seems," Hohenheim started, "that in _this_ world, scientific technology based on machines was developed instead of alchemy. That's why there are machines here we can't comprehend. Came as quiet a shock to me too when I arrived." _When he arrived? _Zillah thought, _what are they talking about?_ She watched them out of the corner of her eye, slowly walked backwards towards them for better hearing.

"This world?" Ed asked in confusion, Zillah thought the same thing.

"I thought you realized," Hohenheim turned away from the bombing to face his son, "you see, this is… the other side of the gate." Ed gasped, his eyes wide and mouth fell open. Zillah looked at them with confusion, and then quickly ran to the trees behind them for cover. She crept up close enough that she could see them, and hear them perfectly, yet so they could not see her. Now maybe she'd understand what they were talking about, and why Ed was acting so strange. What she didn't know, what that this was just going to lead to a lot more confusion.

"So this…" Edward looked around at the bombing then at his right hand, "this is the other side of the gate?" Hohenheim nodded. Zillah looked around, but couldn't see any gate. What gate were they talking about? She looked back at them, now both Ed and Hohenheim had their backs to her.

"This world is tragically violent," Hohenheim started, "It's filled with death. Throughout the course of this war, millions of people have been killed with the use of highly toxic gases. Yet the single most terrifying instrument of death is yet to come…" Zillah gasped and with tears of fear in her eyes, held her rag doll close for comfort, "You saw it in the gate, didn't you?"

She heard Ed gasp again. Could they see the future or something? There was a long pause before he asked, "'War'? What war is this?" There it was again. It was as if Ed never realized that there was a war going on!

"They call it World War Two; it's one of the biggest wars yet. Also with a high death toll." Hohenhiem sighed, "All the lives of those that have died, and that will die in this world become the energy of the alchemy used in our world." _Their world?_ Zillah thought, _So they're not even from earth? And alchemy, isn't that a science… something with chemicals and wild theories? How are human lives the source of a chemical science?_

"The energy!?" she heard Ed retort, sounding almost desperate. "That doesn't make any sense! What about the law of—"

"—of equivalent exchange?" Hohenheim interrupted. "There's something you don't understand. It takes more then equal mass to restore a broken radio. The energy used to put it back together must come from somewhere too. An energy cannot be created or destroyed, only redirected."

Edward looked down, "So that's the secret…? The lives of people who die here cross the gate and become energy we need for transmutations." His voice was cracking, as if on the brink of tears, then he whispered in horror; "Is that what you're telling me!?"

Hohenheim turned to Edward, and placed his hand over his heart, "Inside all of us there lies a smaller version of the gate you pass through. Alchemists have the ability to open their gates, crossing worlds and feeding off the tragedies of this one. It happens every time we draw a circle or clap hands."

Zillah looked down at herself; did she have a gate inside her too, like they were talking about? She placed a hand over her heart but only felt the heartbeat, which was steadily slowing down from its fast nervous pace from the bombs. Then Edward spoke up again, sounding angry, fearful, and confused, all at the same time.

"You sound just like that head case Dante! All the same crap about there being no equivalent exchange." Who was Dante? And what exactly was this law of "equivalent exchange" anyway? Zillah remembered some famous scientist or something had spoken of something similar to what they were talking about, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Hohenheim sighed and looked away from Ed, "I wasn't aware that you knew about her like that…"

"I know _everything_!" Ed shot sourfully, "I know the two of you were lovers because I read the letter you sent her, four hundred years ago!" Four hundred years!? How could someone live that long? "I know you've extended your lives by jumping from one body to another!" Oh… but switching bodies? How could a human do that! Were they wizards or something..?

Ed took a step closer to his father and continued sounding annoyed, "What I don't understand is that if you and that evil bitch were so perfect together," He gripped his hands making them into fists. He sounded tearful again, his voice shaking as he glared at his father. "then why did you feel the need to marry my mother!? Do you get some sick satisfaction out of pretending to be a normal human and having a child with a normal person?"

_So,_ Zillah thought, _Hohenheim loves someone else rather then Edwards' mother? Now that I think about it, I've never seen or heard anything about her. I always assumed she had died before they came here, yet they never talk about it, and I see no pictures of them hanging up in their house. But it still comes back to the same question, what are those two, and where did they come from? Was this why Ed's acting so strange?_

Hohenheim looked at Edward seriously, "…I loved your mother. With all of my being." Edward blinked and looked up at him, "It was then that I knew love for the first time. You _must_ believe that…" He sounded desperate and sincere.

Edward, however, shook with anger and frustration. "You're lying!" He shouted, so even a few other people turned their heads curiously. Ed sounded like he would break down any second, "Then why!? Why did you leave us!?"

Hohenheim held his arm up to Ed, who looked at it expectantly. Hohenheim pulled back the sleeve of his trench coat and she heard Ed gasp and he took a step back. Zillah had to move around a bit to be able to see Hohenheims' arm, which she immediately wished she hadn't. It had a huge gash, as if some big wild animal took a chunk out of his arm, but that wasn't all. The insides, looked rotting, and it looked as if it was slowly eating away at him from the inside out. Zillah gripped her doll in fear as he explained, "Because I didn't want to show you this rotting body. The thought of it was just too much for me to bare." He pushed the sleeve back over his arm. _Well,_ Zillah thought_, that would explain why he wears so much covering, even when it's hot._

"I knew Dante couldn't create the stone, at least not without my help." Hohenheim continued, "That's why I was in hiding all this time, I thought maybe she'd just finally fade away. But I had to so something once she set her eyes on you." '_Dante?' 'The stone?'_

"Were you sent beyond the gate by Dante, too?" Edward asked.

"Not beyond the gate, just inside it. Then she separated my mind, body, and soul inside, leaving me to wander in that limbo forever. But despite her efforts I put myself back together, and wound up here."

Edward looked down at his right arm, as if he had never seen such a thing, "Is that what happened to me then…?"

"Not quite. The success of alchemy seems to be the merging point for these worlds. We share the same history before that and it's still the same." He started pacing around Edward, and Ed looked up at him, "as you see, there's a boy here that's physically identical to you. There's probably a boy like Al as well."

_Physically identical? _So this _wasn't _the Edward Zillah knew. But then who was he?

"And so you were living at this child's side? That makes sense," Edward said and looked up. Zillah scoffed and thought, _no it doesn't!_ But listened anyway, "But that doesn't explain how I got in this body."

"It's highly probable that your true body's still somewhere inside the gate. But your mind and soul have crossed over into this world, and you were attracted like magnets to this Edwards' body." Hohenheim concluded. _So that was it!_ Zillah thought_, that's not Edward, that's some other person in Edwards' body! And that other boy apparently is from some other world. So is Hohenheim from that world too? He said that they were both trapped in that "gate" thing, so…. Gah! I swear, the whole world's out to confuse me!_ Zillah looked down gripping her head, trying to understand and take in everything she just overheard. Maybe she should have never asked herself why they were different and just stood with the other townspeople rather then eavesdrop on them and get more confused. Zillah heard more foot steps and looked up to see two soldiers running up the stairs to Hohenheim and "Edward", who looked their way. They saluted Hohenheim then one of them whispered something to him that Zillah couldn't make out. He nodded and followed the men back down the steps.

Edward paused for a few minutes and watched him go, before following after. Zillah waited until she felt it was a safe distance that she wouldn't be seen, then hurried down the steps after them. There was a car parked near the steps and the soldiers had gotten in it, one of them however waited for Hohenheim to come closer. Then he held the car door open for him to get in. He was just about to get in when Edward came running down the steps shouting, "Wait! Please wait!" Hohenheim stopped and Edward stood behind him, trying to catch his breath. Zillah came down a bit closer to be able to hear, and then quickly jumped to hide behind a pillar when a soldier almost spotted her. Though she could've sworn she saw Hohenheim's eyes linger near her for a moment before speaking.

"You must open the gate inside you," Hohenheim turned to look at his son, "only then can you find your way back to your true home, Edward."

"But aren't you coming too!?" Edward retorted.

Hohenheim waved the soldier, who was holding the door open, off. The soldier nodded and walked off, getting into the front seat of the car. Once he was gone, Hohenheim replied, "I'm afraid it's not possible for me to return since my body, mind, and soul have all fully crossed the gate. I'm completely apart of this world now. And because alchemy seems to be impossible here, I'm stranded. But luckily it isn't too late for you."

"Well I'll do something about that!" Edward pleaded, sounding determined.

Hohenheim looked at Edward surprised, his mouth slightly open. Then he smiled sadly and looked down. "I will die here… in this body. In this body and shape that Trisha loved."_ Trisha?_ Zillah thought as Hohenheim got into the car, _I guess that's Edward's mom_. "You should know I was relieved the law of equivalence _wasn't_ true, that people mustn't always be required to pay a price in order to gain something of equal value in return. Because even if I lived for a thousand life times… I could never do enough to deserve the gift of my children; You, and Al." Zillah smiled, that was something that her father would say too. But now who was this "Al"?

"I can't agree with you." Ed started after a short pause, "I know if I try my hardest, I'll be rewarded. And I believe that applies to all of us! It doesn't matter who you are if you work hard, it pays off. I _know_ equivalent exchange is true."

"But this world—"

"If it's childish to believe in this, so be it. Being childish is fine for me. I'd rather be considered a child than follow a doctrine of cynicism and chaos... and apathy. I don't want to believe that it's possible to pay a price, and not receive anything." Ed concluded and Hohenheim looked down.

"I'm sorry you see it that way, son." He looked back up at Edward, who was standing still, fists clenched. "Good luck." He shut the door and the car engine started. With a last glance at his son through the window, the car drove off. Edward stood perfectly still, watching the car drive off into the distance. Zillah watched as well, slowly creeping out of her hiding spot. She hoped Hohenheim would come back okay, he was the closest thing to family she had now, even if he wasn't from this world, and rotting inside.

The young girl watched as Edward turned the other way, and started walking off, probably having no idea where he was going. He seemed lost in thought. After a few minutes, Zillah started to follow him again hesitantly, when she heard the fighter planes fly over again, dropping more bombs on her town. Frightened, she quickly ran up behind Ed and clung to him tightly. Being short herself, she only came up to a bit above his waist.

Edward, caught by surprise, looked down at her, "Z-Zillah!?" He tried to pry her off but she was too frightened to let go.

"W-Where's the real Ed?" She cried into his shirt, "What have you done with him?!" She had been very attached to Edward and Hohenheim when her father and brother left to serve in the war and especially once her mother died. The Edward she knew was like her adopted big brother, and she didn't want to lose another family member.

Edward hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer, "Wh…What are you talking about Zillah? …I'm Ed."

"No you're not!" she shook her head vigorously, and then looked up at him with teary eyes, "You're not from here, and you're not my big brother Ed! Where is he?"

Edward's eyes widened and then looked down at her sternly seemingly agitated. He pulled her off of him and held her in place by the shoulders. "Were you eavesdropping? Did you hear our _whole_ conversation!?" After some hesitation, Zillah nervously nodded. "Everything?" She nodded again. "Damn it!" He let go of her and roughly pushed past, and continued walking, yet now at a quicker and agitated pace. "Go home, Zillah!"

Zillah stayed where she was, holding her doll close. Then after a minute she turned her head to face Edwards retreating back. "I haven't received anything."

"What are you talking about?" Ed stopped and glanced at her.

"Haven't I paid a price?" Zillah said, her voice shaking dangerously, "My father and brother are gone in the war, and probably will never come back. My house is now rubble, and… and I lost my mother to the war." She gripped her doll and turned fully toward Edward. She stomped her foot and shouted, "Haven't I paid a price!"

Edward blinked, his body now fully turned in her direction. Then he looked off to the side. "I… I guess so…"

"And what have I received?!" Zillah asked loudly, now it was her turn to be annoyed, "A life of misery? Living in this death trap of a world, where any at any second, I can lose everything I have, everything I love? Where's the 'Equivalent Exchange' in that, Edward?"

Ed looked up at her sourfully, "The Law of Equivalent Exchange _is_ true! 'Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange.' It's the world's one, and only truth! It's what I live by!"

"There is no such thing as 'Equivalent Exchange'!" Zillah retorted and stomped her foot again to make a point. "It doesn't exist in any form in any world! I could work extra hard, pray to my God everyday, help the needy, work hard for my family and friends, and yet for what? That won't bring Mommy back! I could work really hard in a factory or something and never get paid a cent because that is the way the world is, Edward!"

Edward scowled and advanced on her, losing his temper. He grabbed the collar of her old, worn dress and pulled her up off the ground with surprising strength. "Don't say that! It _is_ real and it applies to _all_ of us!" Zillah tried to keep her face strong, trying not to show her fear, trying to stop her lip from quivering, and trying to hold the tears back. The Edward she knew would never do something like this, or talked that way. But her efforts were in vain, for Edward immediately saw through her and quickly put her down.

"I'm sorry," He said quietly, looking away. Zillah opened her mouth to ask where the other Ed was again, but he interrupted her before she could even start, "I don't know where your Edward is. But I think he's still here, just like… sleeping or something. I'm just using his body for a bit."

Zillah nodded slowly, "What are you?"

Ed blinked, not expecting this question, "I'm a human being, like you."

"But you are in someone else's' body, you can do this magic 'alchemy' stuff you were talking about. Hohenheim said you both came 'from the other side of the gate.' What does that mean? Are you aliens from another world?" The picture of a little green creature with a big green head came into both their minds at the mention of "alien".

"I'm NOT short!" Edward muttered, with a vain throbbing on his head. He quickly shook his head and answered seriously, "We are from another world, which is on the other side of the gate. And now I have to figure out a way back…" He turned and started walking again.

Zillah tilted her head curiously and caught up with him, walking by his side. She was very _very_ confused and understood almost nothing about this other Edward, or where he was from, but at the moment, he was all she had to drive the fear of war away. He glanced down at her and sighed. "Can't you just go home? All I'll bring you is trouble and confusion, so go find some of your friends or something."

Zillah shook her head and Ed groaned, but said nothing. He hated the fact that this little girl had just over heard their _whole_ conversation, revealing too much. He didn't like getting strangers involved with his life, let alone people of a completely different world. But he supposed he owed this young girl something, seeing how his counter part Ed was like a big brother to her. Yet all her degrading talk of equivalent exchange… he still wanted to believe in it, but now even he started to doubt this law.

Suddenly, the sound of an explosion rumbled through the air. Zillah flinched and quickly attached herself to Edward again, as if he could make it all go away. Ed looked up fearfully to the sky, and saw a fiery color pushing through the dark clouds, and soon a zeppelin emerged. It came barreling towards the earth, a giant mass of burning doom. Edward anticipated it's landing quickly in his head and gasped in horror. It would land to close for them to make it out alive!

"Zillah! Quick, we have to go!" He shouted. Zillah looked up at him fearfully then at the falling zeppelin and gasped as well. Edward grabbed her wrist and pulled her away at a very fast run that it was hard for Zillah to keep up and she kept stumbling. Though it was all in vain, as the zeppelin hit the ground causing the earth to rumble and the fire erupted from inside of it. The force of the hot air and the rumble caused both to fall to the stop dead in their tracks and Zillah fell over.

All around them, the flames grew higher, eating up whatever was in its path. The remnants of the zeppelin started collapsing as well. Every step they took could be their last. It was a frightful thought, yet Zillah and Edward slowly weaved around the flames, trying to find a way out. Two feet away from them, a large plank of wood broke off from the flame and landed too close for comfort. Zillah jumped at this and clung to Ed again, burying her face in his shirt, wanting to make it all disappear. One thought raced through her mind over and over again, until she finally vocalized it.

"A-Are we going to die…?" Her voice cracked and she felt Ed's strong hand pet her head reassuringly.

"It'll be fine. And I've died before; it's not really that bad." Ed said, a desperate attempt to lighten the mood. Zillah looked up at him with surprise.

"You're dead?"

"In a way…" Ed shuffled nervously, "And I've been pretty close to death several other times before too."

Zillah looked down again; _this Ed really is strange…_ She looked around at the flames that surrounded them. The hot air burnt her eyes and she quickly blinked a few times before burying her head back into his shirt.

"C'mon, let's find our way around this hell." Edward led her around more fiery obstacles when suddenly; a wooden beam fell over above them. Ed had just enough time to look up and watch before it fell on top of them, trapping them underneath a burning piece of debris. Zillah didn't even have enough time to scream.

With blood running down this side of his head, Ed weakly turned to Zillah. She also had gotten a serious head wound, and blood stained her dark hair red. His arm was around her shoulder, in a brother like fashion, and he shook her a bit.

"…Zillah. Zillah? Are you alright?" He said weakly. Her head slowly turned to face his direction, revealing a bloody and burnt face.

Zillah slowly nodded, then said in a frightened voice, "A-are we going to… to die now?" She wasn't very sure if she actually minded too much, she knew she was probably going to die soon anyway because of this war…

"We may…" Edward said unsurely. Then he coughed, and blood came out. He looked at it and sighed, then suddenly looked up, as if enlightened by something. Zillah looked at him strangely, what now? She watched as Edward weakly put his hands in front of him, held them up a bit, and clapped them together. What was he doing? He did it again, and again, and again,… what in the world was he trying to do!? The blond sighed and looked as if he was giving up, yet he did it again, and again when Zillah finally spoke up in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"Alchemy…" He muttered, seemingly concentrating deeply on his hands. "Come on… work!" He tried again, and still nothing. Something fell over in the distance and sparked more fire around them, but they were not taking notice anymore. Zillah stared at her partly burnt rag doll that lay between them. She sighed, then turned back to Edward, who continued to clap his hands together to no avail. Zillah slowly started to copy Ed, but nothing happened. She wondered what was supposed to happen anyway. When Edward finally gave up, he started drawing something in the dirt. A circle. A line. Another line. One more, oh a triangle! Another circle around the first. And another triangle upside down from it's partner, making a Jewish star shape. What in the world…?

"…Ed?" she asked, slowly, still watching him.

"Hold on,…" Ed finished his strange circle gave a quick encouraging glace to Zillah, then clapped his hands hard on the ground and….

Nothing happened.

"Damn it!" Edward cursed, and sighed.

"What was that supposed to do?" Zillah asked, still utterly confused.

"Alchemy. But still nothing! Hohenheim... Dad, was right; in this world alchemy is impossible…" He sighed again. He didn't notice, however, Zillah copying his transmutation circle, making one herself in the dirt near her, around her doll. She laughed softly, amused by it for some reason. Edward looked at her and looked surprised at the circle. Then his eyes widened, and Zillah looked at him strangely.

"The doll.. the doll.. maybe, maybe it's like the baby! " he muttered triumphantly.

"What?" Zillah asked, what did her doll have to do with a baby?

"This lady, Dante, who sent me here, called and opened the gate using Roses' baby… so maybe your doll can work in the same way!" Ed explained with excitement, while starting the preparations for the transmutation. Zillah was still confused, but let it go and watched him continue to mess around in the dirt. Once he was done he clapped his hands, and Zillah copied him. Apparently he saw her for he turned and smiled at her. Then said, "Clap your hands like this, then , once I do it, put them down near the circle."

Zillah nodded and watched and copied him… then, to her amazement, the circle in the dirt glowed a bright blue! And, the doll got another small strange circle on her also, and soon there was a blinding flash of blue light, and Zillah had to shut and cover her eyes for fear of going blind. She suddenly felt a strange sensation, as if someone had forcefully pulled her upwards and now was separating her soul from her body. It felt as if she was splitting in two. Tears started falling from her face, but she couldn't make any noise, for the wind was knocked out of her as well. Then, to her relief, the feeling stopped and she fell to the hard ground again, this time falling down to her knees. A scream finally found its way out, then she opened her eyes and looked around. In front of her was a strange giant doorway, with strange markings on it and what seemed to be an eye on the front. Everywhere else was a vast infinity of white nothingness.

"The Gate... I can finally go home, and help Al…"

Zillah looked up, startled by the voice, and saw that Ed was standing beside her. Yet now Edward looked different. His hair was longer, and put into a braid, and his attire was black, and not normal cloths that she'd see in London. But what startled her the most was his arm, that was obviously fake. "E-Edward?" She asked unsurely.

Edward looked down at her with slight surprise, as if suddenly remembering that she was there, and then he smiled. "Yep, this is the real me. Not my soul in your Ed's body." He held up his right fake arm, "Back to normal again…" He muttered studying his right hand.

"…W-Where are we?" Zillah asked, looking around again at the nothingness, then turning back to the frightening door-like thing, "And what's that?"

Edward smiled, staring at the door-like thing, "That, is the Gate, Zillah. And it's my ticket home." He looked down at her smiling, then gave her a hand up, using his right arm. She took accepted the help hesitantly because of the cold, metallic feel rather then warm flesh. Once on her feet, Zillah looked at the Gate with frightened eyes. It was rather intimidating to a girl such as Zillah. The whole thing looked like a haunted house. Then, with a sudden jerk, the doors started to open...

The ground— or whatever they were standing one— rumbled with the might of the gate, as it creaked loudly open. Zillah quickly hid behind Edward, gripping onto him like a frightened child (which she was...) only peeking one eye out to watch.

"It's not going to bite..." Edward said with a chuckle, somehow amused by this. Zillah could fathom why he wouldn't think that this "Gate", that looked more like a "Thing" to her, wouldn't bite! Especially with the scores of eyes that now were revealed from behind the doors. All that could be seen were eyes and darkness. Longing moaning could be heard as well, from whatever was within the Gate. Why would Ed want to go into such a thing? There were so many things Zillah couldn't fathom anymore...

Ed took a step forward but Zillah held him back, "What are you doing?!" She asked hastily.

"Going home." He answered simply, turning to her with a weak smile. "You should too."

"How?!" Zillah asked desperately. "And why do you have to go, and what about my Ed!?"

Edward turned to her and touched where her heart was with one of his real fingers. "Find the gate that's hidden inside yourself." He smiled weakly, "As for your Ed, I'm not really sure. He might already be dead, and in a sense, you may be too."

"W-What?" The young girl asked in horror. How in the world could she be dead, if she was right here? But, was here a place for dead people then? And was her Ed really dead too? She shook her head vigorously, "No! No, it can't be true..."

"I'm sorry, Zillah." Edward said, running a hand down her head and hair comfortingly. Such a young girl... it was sad to know that she'd probably never live her life fully, or the way she wanted too. "You shouldn't have been pulled into this mess." The sad truth was that she already was, and there was no turning back.

"B-but, but I..." She didn't know what to say, and probably couldn't say anymore anyway for tears started coming up again. She tried to push them down and start talking again, and that just made her throat hurt. She looked down and started crying again. Every confusing thing was happening too fast, and all she wanted was to go home, and have all her family back. Zillah felt arms wrap around her protectively, and looked up to see Ed hugging her tightly. She sobbed into his jacket. She cried for everything, and everyone that hadn't cried for themselves yet.

Edward petted her head caringly and let her cry one last time before... he shook the thought from his head. Nothing like this should have to happen to such young kids, and he thought of himself and Al when they were this age. It had happened to them, but Zillah would pay the price one better, when she hadn't even done anything wrong. He then did start to doubt equivalent exchange. When her sobs quieted, he let her go and got down to her eyelevel.

"Take care of yourself kid," He smiled and wiped a tear away from her cheek, "and good luck. It was nice meeting you."

Zillah bit her lip and nodded, trying to be brave for what was yet to come. Edward turned from her and walked up to the gate, every step he took echoed loudly in the white abyss. When he reached the gate, black hands of a sort grabbed out at him, wrapping him in darkness, and started to pull him in.

"E-Edward!" Zillah shouted, running up to the gate as well and reached out a hand for him. Ed turned around, fighting the darkness a bit, to face Zillah. He gently held her hand.

"Goodbye Zillah. And will you tell my father the same?"

"Don't leave!" She gripped onto his and with both hands, trying to hold him back. He smiled weakly as her grip unwillingly loosened, and soon his hand slipped from hers, and soon his entire body was engulfed in the darkness. She stared blankly into the gate for a while, before looking to the side and noticing her doll. Zillah ran to grab it, and held it close to her for reassurance. Yet she knew that wouldn't bring either Edward's back, or mother, or father, or brother. Then she felt movement around her, and felt something wrap itself around her. Looking up quickly, she saw that same darkness that pulled Ed in, was now wrapping around her, ready to pull her in as well. "No! No! I don't want to go!" She shouted as she struggled against the darkness, yet it was in vain for it pulled her in easily.

It shot her past the scores of eyes, pulling her deeper, and deeper into the darkness, when it suddenly stopped, and threw her down. She slowly scrambled to her feet to find herself in a now, black abyss. Was she inside the Gate now? Her careful footsteps echoed loudly in here as well. Zillah looked around for a way out, but, how do you find your way out of something that you know nothing about, and is shrouded with darkness? She wasn't sure, but knew she had to else... she swallowed hard at the though, else she would most definitely die here. Walking around endless passageways, she held her doll close, when suddenly darkness shot out at her. Falling backwards, she was covered in darkness again but this time Zillah noticed that the darkness had eyes.

The eyes were connected to little shadowy bodies. Several of them had wrapped themselves around Zillah, when she suddenly felt a sting of pain in her arm. She looked at it in horror to see one of the little shadows was trying to rip her arm off. Then another came over, fighting over her arm. Then the other shadows started ripping apart her other parts of the body. She screamed in pain as one successfully ripped off her arm, then her leg. Then they started eating away at her torso. Zillah screamed in pain, hoping someone would hear her, that someone would come and save her from these blood thirsty shadows. But after long enough for the shadows to fight over her limbs and to rip another leg off, she realized that this was reality. No one would come to help her; that was only in made up stories and dreams. That the desperate maiden would scream when she was in trouble, and the strong hero would come and save her at the last minute. That was a lie. It all was. That never _really_ happened. When in trouble, one had to get oneself out, without having to rely on anyone. But no matter how much she tried, Zillah could not get herself out of this trouble. No matter how much she screamed for help, no matter how much she prayed someone would save her, no matter what she did to try to get herself help, it wouldn't matter. She was going to die, here, and now. She knew it. And,... she had excepted that.

_Maybe I'll see mother soon..._ Zillah thought as the shadows started wrapping around her again, digging their little sharp fang-like things into her painfully. _Just maybe... then I might finally be happy again..._

A shadow started wrapping around her head, and started to eat at her face. Yes, she did wince and scream in pain several times, but she knew it wouldn't make a difference. On the ground before her, lay her old worn rag doll, untouched and free from harm. She looked at it lovingly, then thought of both Ed's and of Hohenheim. She remembered their strange conversation. Why was Ed so willing to cling on to his equivalent exchange theory? It was obviously a faulty theory. What had she earned from her life of war, and losing everything she knew and loved? Where was her repayment? Was it just her inevitable death? How was that 'Equivalent Exchange'? Life was, and is not always fair. It can be very cruel. That much she knew.

Another shadow wrapped around her face, covering her eyes, and she knew she only had seconds more to live. So she silently prayed:

_If anyone can hear me, anyone at all. I pray to you a request..., that you will watch over my father and brother during the war. Watch and protect them, please. And do the same for both Edwards, and for Hohenheim, wherever they are. And I also pray that if you have any mercy at all towards the human race, you wouldn't let my fate again be repeated to another innocent person. Please,..._

_In Your name..._

The shadows fully engulfed her now, ripping her apart, severing her soul as well. She took her last breath and shut her eyes to retreat into the darkness.

_...Amen..._

* * *

**Zillah Mary Hithers**  
**Daughter, Sister, Friend  
Died, age 8  
Cause of death, unknown  
May her soul be at peace**

Hohenheim sighed as he looked at the tombstone. He had an educated guess at how she died, yet left it unknown to this world. They wouldn't understand. Let them think it was the war anyway. Rumors went around that the young girl had been kidnapped by the now "haunted forest" near town on the day of an air raid. He chuckled at the thought, her disappearance sparked many rumors involving ghosts, and it seemed to be a fad in London now.

It was sad to think how the innocent girl had died. Her condemned fate to death inside the Gate was set once she had heard the Elrics' story. He only wished that her soul was free, and at peace as her tombstone requested. Hohenheim laid a small red rose down in front of her grave, then walked to visit the grave of his this-worldly son.

* * *

Edward picked up the small rag doll he had saved from that day. When he came out of the Gate, it fell out with him. Now, it was a constant reminder of the girl condemned to death because she had overheard a conversation. He knew she died in the Gate. It was obvious when she didn't come out on the other side, and also... he looked down sadly at the doll and gripped it... also, he had heard her frightful screams of pain, as she was probably being torn up by the little creatures that lurked behind the Gate. It was too late to go back and help her, he knew, he had tried, but her scream still lurked in his head for days after word, turning into weeks, making him feel guilty that he couldn't do anything to help. To die at such a young age was horrible, and unfair, yet he knew it happened everyday, in his world, and Zillah's world as well. 

"Ready to go into town, Ed? Al's waiting outside." Winry peeked her head through the door to look at her friend. Edward looked up with a start, being pulled from his thoughts, then nodded.

"Yeah,... let's go." He said, and placed the doll down carefully on his bedside table. It was bad to cling to the past, he knew that, but some things one just couldn't let go, and a constant reminder wasn't always bad. Edward followed Winry outside, to find that Alphonse, his little brother, had been waiting and they made their way into town to buy some groceries.

People live, people die, yet the world just keeps moving. No one can change that, and no one ever will. All we can do is live the life we have now to the fullest, yet not forget the ones who have already passed on.

Moral of the story; Equivalent Exchange isn't always true. Life can be cruel and unfair. You can only depend on yourself when in a bad situation; help almost never comes when you need it most. Don't forget the people who died, but one must continue living anyway. But a small reminder doesn't hurt...

**Don't  
Forget  
3. Oct. 10**


End file.
